Mobil Producing Nigeria starts verification on import duty payments

Mobil Producing Nigeria, a subsidiary of world's biggest oil company ExxonMobil has commenced a verification exercise on all import duty payments made to banks on its behalf by its contractors. Some contractors of the oil company present fake import duty documents to make claims for payment for executed contracts.
Mobil is worried that if it is confirmed that most of the payments meant for government coffers went into private accounts it is an issue that could rubbish the company's towering international reputation. The non-payment of import duty revenue to government is an offence punishable by Nigerian law which could lead to a disruption of Mobil's operations.

Following a tip-off on alleged non-payment of import duty by its contractors, the company set up a unit under the security department to verify and authenticate the claims of contractors before payments are made to them (contractors). Sources close to Mobil also disclosed that until the claims for payment by contractors are verified, no payment is authorized or approved.
Mobil, it was further learnt, has also sent some of its staff to Port-Harcourt to verify contractors claims from designated banks even as some banks in the Lagos area have also played host to the staff of the oil firm for the same purpose. Some of the banks visited by Mobil includes the Apapa branch of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) and Marina International Bank.

Confirming the verification exercise, a front desk officer at GTB who pleaded anonymity stated that his bank had received visitors from Mobil who came to verify the claims of import duty payment made by their contractors through the bank. According to him, the verification exercise is a control measure to ensure that import duty payments are paid as at when due. He also disclosed that Mobil has verified as much as four contractors' claims in the exercise that started October last year (2002).
Meanwhile the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced moves to blacklist designated import duty collecting banks that failed to remit revenue collected to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as at when due. Maritime industry operators are of the view that these fraudulent contractors connive with officials of some of the import duty collecting banks to issue fake receipts and documents confirming these payments.

Licensed customs agents and importers have become apprehensive, even as genuine banks are losing their customers just as operators in the Nigerian maritime industry are beginning to lose confidence in import duty collecting system and the Nigerian banking industry. National president of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr Lucky Amiwero, however blamed some officials of these banks who also connive with some of these contractors and customs agents to defraud the government.
As at the time of this report, the Nigerian Customs Service was still compiling a list of banks to be blacklisted as a result of their involvement in import duty fraud or refusal to remit revenue collected. Amiwero however absolved the oil companies who he said issued bank drafts to effect duty payment, adding that the fraud was usually perpetrated between the customs agent and contractors. On why customs cannot sanction defaulting banks, he stated that customs cannot penalise these banks because these banks are accountable to Central Bank of Nigeria which in turn answers to the Ministry of Finance.